Order of precedence
- The package. Manufacturer instructions and printed dates on your specific product supersede everything on this site. In the EU/UK, a use-by date is a legal safety limit.
- Primary official sources for the displayed jurisdiction: USDA FSIS, FDA, FoodSafety.gov and the FoodKeeper dataset (US); EFSA and EU Regulation 1169/2011 (EU); the Food Standards Agency (UK).
- Secondary sources — university extension services and recognized preservation authorities — for practical technique (packaging, blanching, portioning) where primary sources are silent.
Conflict handling
When two official sources differ, the site does not silently pick the longer period. It shows the guidance for the selected jurisdiction, explains conditions, and prefers the more specific and more current primary guidance. Community input may inform quality and usability notes, never safety limits.
The full source list is at Data sources.